James P. Hooten Jr., MD

One of the reasons I chose to specialize in joint replacement and joint reconstruction was actually seeing the difference you can make for patients. When a person comes in and arthritis has essentially robbed them of their quality of life and is keeping them from doing the things they enjoy doing, or want to do or even need to do, to see the difference when they come back after surgery with a smile and a tremendous weight lifted from them, able to return to the things that make life worth living, is one of the rewarding things about what I do in orthopaedics. Taking care of people involves a team, not only the nurses, physical therapists, other specialists and me, but also the patient -- making sure that they know what’s going on. What’s important is not just what I do in the operating room or in managing care after surgery. It’s also teaching the patient, giving them the knowledge about what’s going on with their bodies so they can make good decisions. Empowering patients to have an impact on their health now and in years to come is very important.